Hanukkah is winding down and the Solstice is on its way, soon to be followed by Christmas and Kwanzaa, which means that we’ll be at the year’s end before we know it. It has been a bit difficult to get into the holiday spirit when temperatures here in the south have been warm, but friends and family up north assure me that the cold and snow are thriving.
Truthfully, while thoughts of a white Christmas are nice, I don’t miss freezing my butt off to scrape an inch of ice off my windshield before I start sliding down the street in my car, heater blasting, and me wiping off the windshield I fogged with my body heat. Nope. Don’t miss that experience at all. But I do miss the decorations. Not those enormous blowup things that people feel the need to plop on their front yard, I could live without seeing another one of those for the rest of my days. I’m talking about the traditional decorations in general. People in the snowy north know how to do up a holiday right.
It’s not that the south lacks imagination, there are some beautifully decorated places around here. Unfortunately they’re few and far between compared to the northern states. I’d say it’s the cold and snow that makes a difference. There’s something special about seeing a well-decorated home, with just the right amount of outdoor lights, a pretty tree shining through a window, and a wreath or two on the doors. It becomes even nicer when you add a blanket of fresh white snow, and smoke rising from the chimney. Snuggling around a toasty fireplace with steaming cups of marshmallow-topped cocoa isn’t quite the same when it’s 60 degrees outside. That’s probably one reason why you tend to see more decorated homes per block in the north than you do in the south.
You’ll also see more people stringing their outdoor lights anywhere from late October to mid-November in the north because they want to beat that first arrival of the freezing wind, ice, and snow. One good battle with nasty weather and frozen decorations will teach you to never wait too long again. I speak from experience.
This year the holidays begin at my house with the coming of the Winter Solstice, and continue through the end of the year. On Solstice Eve, Christmas Eve, and New Year’s Eve, we will set out luminaries along the driveway and path to our front door. Candles appropriate for the season will be lit throughout the house and a fire will crackle in the fireplace. Special ‘Eve’ dinners will be prepared, as well as special dinners for the actual holiday celebration. It’s a lovely end to the old year and the perfect preparation for welcoming the next.
Whichever holiday you celebrate this year, may it be filled with joy, love, and light. And have a safe and happy 2008!
© 2007 Barbara Dolny
Photo of Solstice table setting by Barbara Dolny
